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Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Bazooka Ring Pop Candy Now Certified Kosher by OU

Bazooka Candy Brands, a division of Topps Inc., announced today that Ring Pop, its bestselling candy, has been kosher certified by the Orthodox Union. Production of the newly kosher Ring Pop, with brand new packaging bearing the “OU” symbol, begins this month with the candy shipping to retailers nationwide in August.

Ari Weinstock, Director of Marketing, Bazooka Candy Brands, said, “Working with the Orthodox Union, the top organization for kosher certification in the world, we can now bring Ring Pop to an entirely new, and discerning, consumer base that has never before been able to enjoy our products.”

Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher’s Vice President of Communications and Marketing expressed “great satisfaction in having Bazooka Candy Brands join with leading confectionery producers who have attained OU certification in recent years. It was gratifying for OU Kosher’s team, headed by Rabbi Mordechai Merzel, to corroborate with Bazooka Candy Brands’ team and bring the much sought after Ring Pop products to an ever growing kosher market place.”

The Orthodox Union engages in rigorous monitoring of all aspects of production. It supervises the process by which the food is prepared, examines the ingredients used to make the food, and regularly inspects the processing facilities to make sure that its standards are met.

“The solicitousness associated with the OU certification process is what makes kosher products appealing to both Jewish and non-Jewish consumers. We believe that parents purchasing Ring Pop for their children will feel reassured that the production of this candy is closely supervised,” added Weinstock.

Ring Pop was first introduced in 1977 and has consistently ranked among the top-selling non-chocolate candies. Available in over ten different flavors including strawberry, blue raspberry, watermelon, twisted berry blast and strawberry-banana smoothie, Ring Pop is Bazooka Candy Brand’s most popular confection. Referred to as “edible bling,” Ring Pop candy has been spotted by the paparazzi in the hands of many celebrities over the years, with photos running in magazines such as Interview, People, and US Weekly.

The Orthodox Union, which is supervising the production of Ring Pop, has maintained the highest standard of kosher certification for over 80 years. Today the OU supervises more than 400,000 products produced in 6,000 plants in 80 countries, making it the world’s largest and most respected kosher certification agency and symbol.

The kosher-certified Ring Pop is part of the recently re-branded Bazooka Candy Brands line of candy, which also includes Baby Bottle Pop, Push Pop, and Bazooka gum. For more information about Ring Pop, visit www.topps.com.

About The Topps Company, Inc. Founded in 1938, Topps (www.topps.com) is a leading creator and marketer of sports and related cards, entertainment products, and distinctive confectionery. Topps entertainment products include Major League Baseball, NFL, NBA and other trading cards, sticker album collections, and collectible games. The company’s confectionery brands include “Bazooka” bubble gum, “Ring Pop,” “Push Pop,” “Baby Bottle Pop,” and “Juicy Drop Pop” lollipops. In June 2008, Topps unveiled Topps Town (www.toppstown.com), the first online virtual sports community for kids, bringing together the popularity of trading cards with the exploding world of web-based social networking.

About The Orthodox UnionThe Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish community of North America and beyond, represents the fastest growing segment in Jewish life. The OU is a world leader in community and synagogue services, adult education, youth work through NCSY, political action through the IPA (Institute of Public Affairs), and advocacy for persons with disabilities through Yachad and Our Way. Its kosher certification label, the OU, is the world's most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 400,000 products manufactured in 80 countries around the globe.